Barbour signs bill, restoring some budget cuts

JACKSON — Gov. Haley Barbour today signed Senate Bill 2495, which allocates $82 million from state reserves to partially restore budget cuts for district attorneys, the state court system and education.

The bill allocates $41.13 million to public schools and universities, including $33 million for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, $2 million for National Board Certification for teachers and $2 million for the Ayers settlement.

“This legislation restores a portion of the budget cuts in critical services, including law enforcement, healthcare and other needs,” Barbour said. “I thank the Senate and House for their hard work in reaching this compromise.

“The difficult economic period for our state is not over. There is a strong indication that more spending cuts for Fiscal Year 2010 may be necessary, as state revenues continue to lag below budget projections, and we still face the task of assembling the budget for fiscal year 2011. However, through fiscally conservative and responsible budgeting, Mississippi can emerge from this recession stronger and better than ever.”